MD & DO Help creating school list and general speculation on odds.

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NewYorkIsBestYork

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Hi all,

I was hoping to get some help creating a school list. I'm applying this cycle as a first time applicant and not really sure how to categorize myself in terms of competitiveness. I'm a NY state resident and ORM. I qualify for FAP but don't really think I'd count as disadvantaged.

I'll list and summarize my stuff:

B.S. Biochemistry
3.26 cGPA
3.21 sGPA

M.S. Biochemistry and Cellular Biology
3.88 GPA

MCAT only took it once and got a 517:
C/P:127
CARS:130
B/B:131
P/S:129

Research experience:
3 years on breast cancer invasion and metastasis mechanisms, then helped my lab start a company that is only like 2 months old so nothing much to report from that yet.
The research that I've done so far has net me 2 publications both are second author manuscripts. First was in a medium level impact and second is in medium-high impact.

Leadership:
I've spent 5 years at my volunteer ambulance corps and was elected an officer there. Had a staff of ~30 people in charge of training all of our new members the EMT-B curriculum. My role was basically course director, designing all the lectures and curriculum, designing skills sessions, designing and running case studies. I'm also a certified AEMT-CC and have been for about 2 years now. Prior to that was an EMT-B for about 3 years. All told I worked out I've spent ~4300 hours either treating patients or doing other work there whether it's teaching or other responsibilities.

Also in charge of all the training of new members in my lab in terms of the basic procedures/ research techniques they're going to need for their projects.

Helped found a club on campus through the psychiatric services for students battling drug addiction. I'm not recovering myself but it's something that was really close to my heart as my brother overdosed so it was a bit of a passion project.


Other ECs:

Habitat for Humanity:
Probably gone around 6 or 7 times. I think that adds to like 50 hours or so give or take. It's actually the funnest thing if anyone hasn't given it a shot I highly suggest it.

I'm also the narcotics agent for the ambulance so I'm in charge of QA for all narcotics administrations as well as making sure nothing gets stolen, everything is in date, and we're NYS compliant.

I was also an undergraduate TA for biochemistry for one semester and a graduate TA for the undergrad Cancer Bio course for two semesters.

Shadowing:
Plastic Surgeon: ~30 hours so far but I'm doing about 5 a week so that will keep going up. We have a really good relationship.


Not really sure if I'm a competitive MD candidate [damned GPA] or should put my chips in DO? Any ideas for a school list or just general thoughts, comments or concerns would be greatly appreciated!

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You could receive interviews at some MD schools and I suggest these:
All 4 SUNY's
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
California University (new school)
Kaiser (if it opens for 2019)
Your chances for a MD acceptance are only in the 50% range so apply to at least 6 DO schools also.
 
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You could receive interviews at some MD schools and I suggest these:
All 4 SUNY's
Albany
New York Medical College
Vermont
Quinnipiac
Seton Hall
Drexel
Temple
Jefferson
Penn State
George Washington
NOVA MD
Oakland Beaumont
Western Michigan
Rosalind Franklin
Creighton
California University (new school)
Kaiser (if it opens for 2019)
Your chances for a MD acceptance are only in the 50% range so apply to at least 6 DO schools also.

Honestly it's nice to hear that my odds at an MD school are even 50/50! My advisor was very pessimistic when I even brought up the idea of trying to get into MD schools in a serious way. What do you think about Rowan in NJ for MD?

Do you think it likely I get electronically screened out at most schools or do you think my MCAT score will make up for that?

Thank you so much for responding too! I really appreciate your help with this, it has really been weighing on me.
 
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You should shadow some primary care. From the ADCOMs I have spoken with, an understanding of what primary care entails is quite important. Plastic surgeons make up a very small percentage of physicians.
 
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You should shadow some primary care. From the ADCOMs I have spoken with, an understanding of what primary care entails is quite important. Plastic surgeons make up a very small percentage of physicians.
Yeah I’ve been trying I’m just having a hard time getting connections/openings. I don’t have a PCP at the moment and cold calling/emailing had not been fruitful unfortunately.

Do you have any suggestions on what worked for you or any ideas?
 
Junior year was a ~3.65 and senior year a ~3.40.

The inverted parabolic trend is somewhat disconcerting. I think it will be in your best interest to apply broadly to DO along with new/low tier MDs, or to at least have your AACOMAS verified and ready to submit sometime mid cycle if you aren't finding success with MD schools.
 
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Yeah I’ve been trying I’m just having a hard time getting connections/openings. I don’t have a PCP at the moment and cold calling/emailing had not been fruitful unfortunately.

Do you have any suggestions on what worked for you or any ideas?
I was fortunate to have a VA and a non-profit hospital that were amenable to shadowing.

Also asked professors who I had established relationships with about shadowing opportunities.
 
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The inverted parabolic trend is somewhat disconcerting. I think it will be in your best interest to apply broadly to DO along with new/low tier MDs, or to at least have your AACOMAS verified and ready to submit sometime mid cycle if you aren't finding success with MD schools.
Yeah, I’m going to be applying to quite a number of schools. I don’t think I’m going to bother waiting to send in my apps for DO schools I’ll just apply broadly and pray. I’m thinking I’ll apply to ~ 8 DO schools which will hopefully be enough?

As a side note, is there any standard ranking system for DO schools? I can’t seem to find one.
 
I was fortunate to have a VA and a non-profit hospital that were amenable to shadowing.

Also asked professors who I had established relationships with about shadowing opportunities.
Fair enough, I guess I’ll keep at it and see if I can find something. Its frustrating because near me all the hospitals require me to volunteer first before shadowing their docs and I simply don’t have the time to add another volunteer obligation.
 
Have you heard back from many schools yet?
Yeah so thus far II from: SUNY Downstate, Hofstra, and Mayo.
On hold at: NYMC, and SUNY Upstate
Rejected at: Georgetown, George Washington

Obviously I am very happy with the cycle thus far and am super optimistic.
 
Yeah so thus far II from: SUNY Downstate, Hofstra, and Mayo.
On hold at: NYMC, and SUNY Upstate
Rejected at: Georgetown, George Washington

Obviously I am very happy with the cycle thus far and am super optimistic.

That's awesome! Can you pm me I have some questions about stats!
 
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